Local bank seeks to save a thousand lives this year through blood donations

A large group of Bank Windhoek’s employees and customers recently donated blood at the bank’s third round of blood donation clinics hosted in Windhoek.

This donation resulted in a total of 244 donations in the three blood donation clinics this year which can save 732 lives.

“We have also started to promote platelet donation which helps bone marrow transplant, cancer and leukaemia patients. This is when blood is collected and separated into its components by a machine which extracts the platelets while the rest is returned to the donor. As a result, we had five successful platelet and plasma donations, potentially saving another ten lives,” said Bank Windhoek’s Corporate Wellness Consultant, Marjolize Scholtz.

Our target is to save a thousand lives this year and I am confident that we will reach it with our last clinic in December,” she added.

“It is sometimes thought that the majority of donated blood helps those involved in accidents and emergencies. However, most of the blood is used to treat expectant mothers during birth complications, those suffering from cancer, patients undergoing surgery and those with other serious illnesses,” said Scholtz.

A customer, Jonas Ambunda, who has been donating blood for the past 22 years, said, “I have noticed over the years that blood is never enough at our health facilities. As long as I do my part, I am contributing to saving someone’s life”.

Businesswoman, Sonja Hoth, said “I have seen patients in need of blood and my donation can give somebody else a second chance at life,” adding that she will always make time to donate blood.

Currently only 0.9% of people donate blood. On a monthly basis, Namibia requires more than 2800 units of blood. Today there are just over 22794 voluntary donors. In 2017 the Blood Service collected 34210 lifesaving donations.

The next blood donation clinics are scheduled to take place on 5 and 6 December at Bank Windhoek’s Main and Property Finance Branches in Windhoek.

Caption: Making the time: Businesswoman, Sonja Hoth, said that she is never too busy to donate blood while she is assisted by Boris Silume of the blood transfusion service.